Filed under: Spy Photos , Scion , Subaru , Toyota Spy Shots: Subaru Coupe – Click above for high-res image gallery Judging by the recent influx of spy shots, Toyota is working hard, fine-tuning its upcoming Scion FR-S sports car. Now, we’re finally getting a look at the Subaru version. Spy photogs snapped the two-door Subie undergoing some road testing. The style is similar to the Scion we’ve been seeing , but the Subaru appears to get a different front-end treatment. Though most of the important bits and pieces are well-covered by all the swirly graphics, the spy photographers did manage to grab a shot of the interior of the coupe. A paddle shifter is clearly visible , and we hope to eventually spy a version with a manual transmission as well. Check out all of the spy shots of the Subaru coupe by clicking through the gallery below. Subaru’s RWD sports car caught wearing same outfit as Toyota sibling originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 27 May 2011 14:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink

TOKYO , May 23, 2011 —Salesforce.com [NYSE: CRM] and Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) [NYSE: TM] announced today that they have formed a strategic alliance to build “Toyota Friend”, a private social network for Toyota customers and their cars.

Filed under: Etc. , Technology , Toyota There isn’t a Trent Reznor score attached to this story, but Toyota must’ve finally received The Social Network courtesy of its Netflix queue. The automaker has announced that it’s creating a virtual online hangout of its own. Dubbed Toyota Friend, the service will connect Toyota owners with a shared love for the Japanese automaker. Toyota has teamed up with cloud computing solutions company Salesforce.com. One of the tech firms products is called Salesforce Chatter, which is a private social network designed to allow a specific group to communicate. For the automaker’s purposes, Toyota Friend will allow vehicle owners to interact with dealers, the manufacturer and each other. In fact, Toyota Friend will even connect owners to their cars by tapping into the vehicles telematic systems. Initially, Toyota Friend will roll out to Japanese customers. Specifically those that have purchased 2012 model year electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids.

NEW YORK, NY – May 23, 2011 — Toyota said today that it has received the recommendations provided in a report from its independent North American Quality Advisory Panel, led by former Transportation Secretary Rodney Slater.

Filed under: Plants/Manufacturing , Chrysler , Ford , GM , Honda , Toyota When it comes to manufacturing and selling a complicated product like an automobile, a company’s relationship with its suppliers is of huge importance. A good working partnership can translate into higher levels of reliability and lower cost as well as early access to cutting-edge tech. According to a new study conducted by Detroit-based consulting firm Planning Perspectives, Toyota has one of the best relationships with its suppliers among all of the world’s automakers. The Detroit Bureau reports that this is the first time in three years that the Japanese automaker has held the top slot. Honda came in just behind Toyota in the study, but Ford , General Motors and Chrysler have made serious strides toward improving their supplier relationship. In the past, the domestic automakers have continuously pressed their suppliers to produce parts with a lower price tag, which generated conflict. That seems to be changing, however. The Planning Perspectives study says that Ford may even overtake Honda and Toyota in coming years. Meanwhile, Japanese automakers have seen their supplier relationships degrade over repeated recalls and other quality issues. Toyota still tops in supplier relations, but only just originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 23 May 2011 16:01:00 EST.

Filed under: Hybrid , Wagon , Technology , Crossover , Toyota , First Drive Toyota Masters The Art Of The Conjunctive 2012 Toyota Prius V – Click above for high-res image gallery The hybrid lexicon is a language built on a foundation of disjunction. Buyers may have phenomenal fuel economy or space for kids and cargo. You can embarrass your neighbors at the fuel pump or have a satisfying driving experience. In fact, opting for a battery pack is so fraught with compromise that it’s almost as if hybrid manufacturers have completely deleted the conjunctive ‘and’ from their diction. Even so, that fact hasn’t stopped buyers from seeking out electrified vehicles in increasing numbers. Toyota has sold over one million Prius models in the United States since the vehicle first debuted a decade ago. That number blossoms to two million if global sales are accounted for, and the model’s popularity has helped usher in a bloom of hybrid products from over 16 manufacturers. The technology may not be the perfect solution to our fuel economy concerns, but the Prius has taken off in ways that would have been difficult to imagine when the first gangly example whirred off the line. Now Toyota is set to grow its Prius lineup with three new models. In fact, Bob Carter , Toyota division group vice president and general manager, says that the Japanese automaker fully expects the Prius family to become its best-selling product line in the near future – beating out internal combustion titans like the Camry and Corolla in the process.